Method of blending light hydrocarbons



-June 30, 1925. 1,543,750 H. C OONEY l METHOD OF BLBNDING LIGHT HYDROCARBONS Filed Jan. 1.6,' .1920

Kamin` ifa @ y Y im l v Qwgcwvz, 75x Henry Cooney.

Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED4 STA-TES' HENRY oooNEY, on SUGAR GROVE, OHIO.

METHOD OF BLENDING LIGHT HYDROGARBONS.

application mea January "leisen serial 1ro. 351,827.

To all lwhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY CooNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sugar Grove, in the county of Fairfield and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Blending Light Hydrocarbons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the production of gasoline, and has for its object the method of blending and refrigeration, whereby the gasoline resulting from compression may be blended with the gasoline produced by distillation, and the blended gasoline so produced with its attendant vapors, may be refrigerated by expanding the residual gas or the gasoline produced by the high compressor, or both, thru a suitable heat exchanger.

In most of the absorption method -gasoline manufacturing plants, the practice is to conduct the gasoline produced by the high and low stage compressors direct to storage tanks in some cases, or, more commonly, the gasoline is conducted to a weathering tank to free it of its volatile fractions, or to a naptha blending tank. It is the purpose of the present inventio to conduct the gasoline accumulating in the receiving tank of the high pressure compressor, thru a trap into the receiving tank of the low pressure compressor, and the gasoline accumulating in the receiving tank of the low pressure compressor, delivered direct or thru a weathering tank to the main condenser, preferably to a point in this condenser at least twenty feet from its outlet.

The pressure carried on the low compressor varies, but ranges around 30 pounds per square inch. Since the gasoline accumulating-in the receiving tank of this compressor is of a high Beaum gravity, when it is eX- panded down to the pressure of the condenser (usually vabout eight inches water pressure) it has a marked cooling effect upon the hydrocarbon vapors, condensing fractions that otherwise would not liquefy. When the gasoline is led first to a weathering tank, then to the main condenser, the refrigerating effect is not so marked, as when, led direct from the low accumulator tank. This refrigerating eect may be further increased by connecting aheat interchanger` (or any similar apparatus) to the outlet from the main condenser, and using the terchanger offers the further advantage,-

when of ample dimensions,of reducing the pressure super-imposed upon the condenserby the discharging of the gasoline from the low receiving tank or weathering tank into it. VThe use of this heat interchanger, though not necessary to the blending feature of this invention, adds greatly to the efficiency of the method. IVhen interchanger is not used, the gasoline of compression is introduced directly into the outlet pipe of the main condenser.

In the drawingthe figure shown illustrates the invention diagrammatically.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the reference character 10 indicates the main or primary condenser, into which the gasoline produced by distillation is' conducted thru a pipe 11. This method of distillation may be of any well known character, this purpose being to blend with the gasoline so produced, the gasoline resulting from compression, for the production of a gasoline of a high and a uniform grade.V

For this purpose there is provided a heat interchanger 12, into which the condensed hydrocarbon vapors produced by distillation is blended with the gasoline produced by compression. The latter is introduced thru a pipe 13, which leads from trap`22 and which is in communication with the low .pressure receiving tank, 18, and with weatli.-

.weathering tank prevents the main condenser outlet from freezing. Gasoline produced by high compressor 17, accumulating inreceiving tank 16, may be delivered by trap 21, to low receiving tank 18, or to secure the maximum refrigerating effect, this gasoline may be conducted from trap 21, thru line 25 into compartment 14 of interchanger 12, leaving interchanger 12, thru line 26 to low receiving tank 18. As a further refrigerant residual gas from receiving tank 16 is expanded thru interchanger 12. This residual gas'leaves receiving tank 1G thru pipe 38, regulator 23, and line 24, to

thru line 34 to field compressor (not shown) or consumption lines.

29 is a separating tank which receives the blended gasoline from the heat interchanger 12, through pipe 39?. In this tank, very light fractions may evaporate, and any dissolved gases may be given oii, these vapors and gases being led off,- past the regulator 28, into the line 39. The light vapors given o in the weathering tank also enter the line 39, which' line conducts these gases and vapors into the low pressure compressor 19.

The liquid gasoline blend, leaves tank 29 by pipe 40, in which is provided inspection box 41, the blend beingv led to the storage tank 30.

' ing is done. The liquid from the high. compressor then passes (directly or indirFhus it 'Will be readily seen`A by those' skilled in the art that the hydrocarbon'vapors produced by distillation areintroduced into the main condenser and the condensate delivered t0 the heat exchanger to be blend-v rectly) lto the receiving Vtank 16 and the residual dry gas (which is very cold) passes.

by the pipe 24 to the heat exchanger and out to any suitable use through the pipe 34:. The liquid from the tank 16 may pass through 'pipe 25 to the 'heat exchanger thence to thejloW compressor receiving tank by means yof pipe 26.

By means of. thel above described apparatus, the gasoline produced by distillationj may be blended with that produced byA compression,I the gasoline accumulating in the receiving tank of the lo-W compressor being delivered direct or through the weathering tank to the heat exchanger condenser, condensing fractions that otherwise Wouldnot liquefy. The low pressurel gasolineY may alsoy first be conducted to vthe weathering tank and through the condenser and Whilelthe cooling effec-t will be considerable it is not so great as when led direct from the loW pressure receivingtank.

. By. use 'of this apparatus',the gasoline produced by distillationl 'may'fbo blended with that produced by compreion by' expanding the residual gasto a Separate compartment of the heat interchanger. 'This A.

residual gas` after leaving the interchanger may be returned tothe compressors supply ing gas to absorbers and may resenter the circuit again for treatment instead of being sent'to 'the transportation line as is the common practice. "This residual gas is rich in. gasoline contents. The liquefied petroleum gas produced by high stage compressor may also be passed through the heat interchanger,l that is,

through the separate compartment and from the interchanger this liquefied pe vtroleuni gas may pass to the receiving tank of the low stage compressor. This process also aids in refrigeration.

described the invention what is claimed iszi A process of obtaining blended gasoline Which comprises compressing natural Vgas having a gasoline content, first lto i ow stage of compression, cooling the same sufii-` ciently' to produce a lo7 compression condensate, further compressing the remaining' gases' and vapors to a substantially higher stage of compression, cooling the `gases and vapors sufficiently to hquefy a.

second'condensate passing at least a portion of such second condensate and the final gasesafter substantiallylowering their pressure, in heat-conducting relationwith al mixture comprising straight `run gasoline and at least a portion of .said first condensate andI rwithdrawing any residual vapors from said the last mentioned 4operation into the gascompression system. .i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HENRY ooonnr.` 

